Frederick Victor
In the heart of New York City, from 1917 to 1920, an unusual sight greeted visitors to Union Square. There, amid the bustling streets and towering buildings, stood a full-sized replica of a Navy battleship. This was USS Recruit, a wooden mockup of a dreadnought battleship that served as both a recruiting tool and a training ship during World War I.
The USS Recruit was commissioned just like any real naval vessel. It was manned by a crew of trainee sailors under the command of Acting Captain C. F. Pierce. Thirty-nine bluejackets from the Newport Training Station made up the ship’s crew, operating the Recruit as a training ship in addition to its role as a recruiting office. This made the Recruit not just a static display but a working, commissioned ship of the U.S. Navy.
The construction of the USS Recruit was no small feat. The Navy ensured that this mockup had all the features of a real battleship. Two high cage masts, a conning tower, and a single dummy smokestack gave the Recruit the silhouette of seagoing battleships of that era. The ship was armed with six wooden versions of 14-inch guns in three twin turrets, ten wooden 5-inch guns in casemates, and two replicas of one-pounder saluting guns, mimicking the armament of contemporary battleships.
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Inside, the Recruit was equally impressive. The ship boasted fore and aft examination rooms, full officer’s quarters, and cabins for the sailors. A wireless station and a heating and ventilation system were also installed. This system was capable of changing the air temperature inside the ship ten times within an hour, showcasing the Navy’s attention to detail and dedication to realism.
Public access to the Recruit was an essential part of its mission. The Navy offered tours of the ship, allowing civilians to explore and familiarize themselves with how a Navy warship operated. These tours were designed to stir patriotic feelings and encourage enlistment by providing a firsthand experience of life aboard a Navy vessel.
The USS Recruit was a central part of the Navy’s recruiting efforts in New York City during World War I. Situated in Union Square, it operated as the Navy’s headquarters for recruiting in the district. This location was strategic, as Union Square was a bustling area, ensuring that the Recruit received maximum visibility and foot traffic. The ship’s presence in such a prominent location helped draw in recruits and spread awareness about the Navy’s role in the war.
The success of the Recruit was notable. By the time it was decommissioned in 1920, the ship had played a crucial role in recruiting 25,000 men into the U.S. Navy. This number is significant, considering that it was 625 times the size of the Recruit’s own crew and enough to man twenty-eight Nevada-class battleships. This achievement highlighted the effectiveness of the Recruit as a recruiting tool and its importance in bolstering the Navy’s ranks during the war.
After more than two years in Union Square, the USS Recruit was decommissioned and dismantled. Initially, the Navy planned to move the ship to Coney Island’s Luna Park, where it would continue to serve as a recruiting depot. However, the cost of moving the Recruit proved to be too high. The materials used to build the ship were more valuable than the cost of the move, leading to the decision not to reassemble it. Instead, the materials were likely reused in local projects.
The story of the USS Recruit is a fascinating chapter in the history of New York City and the U.S. Navy. The ship’s construction and operation in Union Square were innovative and effective, bringing the Navy’s mission to the heart of one of America’s busiest cities. Through its realistic design and interactive public tours, the Recruit succeeded in its goals of recruiting and training new sailors, leaving a lasting impression on all who saw it.
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